The new Nike + SportWatch GPS at CES 2011

by Mark R

I saw this watch from shoe giant Nike last night at the CES 2011 event Pepcom. The Nike+SportsWatch GPS uses the Nike+ sensor based in the shoe for tracking time, pace, distance, calories burned as well as heart rate.

It also has something else: a GPS powered by TomTom. This allows the watch to track “what a user does, how they do it, and then motivates the user to improve on previous performances over the each route”. After the user is completed with their run or other exercises, they can take off their watch and connect it to a PC with the built-in USB dongle. From there, data is uploaded to the NikePlus.com site for viewing of completed runs, setting new goals, as well as interacting with other runners.

I’m sure that this technology comes in handy for those that like to run. However, I can’t help but wonder why this tech couldn’t be put on a new version of an iPod nano. After all, most people are mounting their nanos on their watches anyway. Perhaps in the next version of the nano.

The new Nike watch won some awards from CES for innovation in both the Health and Wellness and Personal Electronics categories. Not bad. The watch is up for pre-order at the Nike site here.